Berkeley crowned rugby champions

SATURDAY, MARCH 17: Berkeley was the unlikeliest choice to win the High School Rugby title after losing their first three games of the league.

But the boys showed true heart by going undefeated in their last six contests to walk off the National Sports Centre’s pitch national champions Friday night.

Playing against CedarBridge Academy, Saltus Grammar School and Warwick Academy, Berkeley faltered in the first round of games.

The school fell 10 to 5 to Saltus, were blanked 10 to 0 by CedarBridge and barely lost to Warwick 7 to 5.

But something happened between those early February matches and the second round. A new and improved Berkeley had a dramatic turnaround by posting shutouts against Saltus (10 to 0) and CedarBridge (7 to 0) while hammering Warwick 28 to 7.

The tone for Berkeley’s championship was set in the first match on Friday against Saltus, who at 4-2 were in first. Berkeley managed three ties to Saltus’ one to forge a temporary tie at the top of the table.

Berkeley went on to blank CedarBridge 5 to 0 and slipped past Warwick in a highly entertaining match as the green and gold emerged 20 to 15 winners.

Saltus drew 5 to 5 with CedarBridge in the night’s last match to finish at 5-1-3 for second overall.

CedarBridge were a very respectable 4-1-4 and Warwick ended at 2-0-7 after a promising start.

The event was organized by former WWE champion John Layfield, who started the Beyond Rugby programme in Bermuda's schools earlier this year.